98 RECONNOISSANCE AROUND GREAT SALT LAKE. 



the way. We also provided ourselves witli three India-rubber bags, 

 of the capacity of five gallons each, and a small keg, for transport- 

 ing water across the desert ; some sacks of flour, a small tent with- 

 out poles, a tent-fly, and a blanket to each man. In addition, each 

 person carried a few pounds of fresh beef attached to his saddle, 

 which might be used before resorting to our store of dried meat. 

 Thus equipped and well armed, we set out on the afternoon of the 

 19th of October, the little party numbering five men and sixteen 

 mules. The provision-train for the surveying party was sent forward 

 by the emigrant road, on the east side of the lake, under Lieutenant 

 Howland, with orders to report to Lieutenant Gunnison at Salt Lake 

 City. Colonel Porter had left us the day previous, on his return to 

 Cantonment Loiing. 



From the ford of Bear River we followed the emigrant road 

 westward for about four miles, which brought us to the Malade 

 River. The crossing here was very difficult, and we found it impos- 

 sible to get our animals over with their packs on, because of the depth 

 of water ; they were accordingly unloaded and dragged or driven 

 over, one at a time, and some of them came near being swamped 

 in the soft, sticky mud composing the bottom. The men were 

 obliged to strip, and carry the packs over on their heads, the lighter 

 articles being thrown across. Wood was very scarce : we had but 

 artemisia-bushes and a few charred sticks found amid the ashes 

 of the extinguished fires left by the emigrants. These were, how- 

 ever, sufficient for cooking purposes. Grass there was none ; and 

 we began already to have some foretaste of the hardships to which 

 our poor animals were about to be exposed. The night was cold ; 

 thermometer 22°. As wood could not be obtained even for tent- 

 poles, we contented ourselves with stretching our weary bodies 

 upon the ground, and, wrapped in our blankets, slept soundly till 

 the morning. 



The bottoms of Bear River and the Malade are composed of 

 white clay, in which no trace of organic remains was discovered. 

 The current of the Malade is here slow, and the water brackish 

 and nauseous. 



Saturday, October 20. — Ther. at daylight, 26°. Continued on 

 the emigrant road about four miles, when we left it and turned 

 more to the southward, with the intention of doubling a lofty 

 promontory that puts into the lake from the north, and forms the 

 western boundary of the Malade valley. In about a mile we came 

 upon three or four beautiful springs of clear, bright water : they 



